The Allegory of the Cave
by Beguile
Summary: COMPLETE! When she's shot in an alley, Trinity finds herself a captive of Agent Smith. While a prisoner, she learns a few things about the Matrix, sometimes you need help, and other times, Neo just has to let her live. Post Matrix, Pre Reloaded.
1. Prisoner

The Allegory of the Cave  
  
Commercial Disclaimer: All characters in this story are the property of the Wachowski brothers and I'm not making money off them. I have to say that the Wachowski's are the only two people in the world who can take a fascinating theory of Plato and make it applicable to everyone. And they have not one but two Canadian heroes (Keanu Reeves and Carrie Anne Moss. You guys kick ass.literally!).  
  
Summary: In an effort to lure Neo, Smith takes an injured Trinity prisoner within the Matrix. Over the course of her imprisonment, Trinity learns a thing or two about the machine world and about the Matrix she never knew before. Post-Matrix.  
  
Significance of the Title: A theory created by Plato, which was the first known question of what reality really was. It's all explained by the genius Agent Smith.  
  
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Chapter 1: Prison  
  
"What the hell happened?" Neo demanded of Tank, who was moving through the screens in front of him with a clueless stare. A look of awe came over him.  
  
"She was just here." He pointed to the screen. "I just saw her. I was locking in on her when she just disappeared." Neo didn't have time for this. He ran his fingers over his forehead and wiped the sweat through his small stubble of hair. Morpheus was in the loading room, moving over Trinity's life signs with a look of failure written all over his solemn glance. He lifted the rag of a shirt Trinity wore and saw the gaping gunshot wound, the bleeding almost stopped. It was stitched. Someone on the inside sewed them back up.  
  
"Neo, calm down." He looked at the newest member.  
  
"Fuck calming down!" Neo shouted back, looking at her, timeless almost in her chair, still locked into that prison. "I can't find her. I knew I shouldn't have let her go alone."  
  
"Neo, believe me, I empathize, but you can't protect her forever." The captain looked at Neo with a sympathetic look in his brown eyes. "Believe me, I've tried to protect her. She's not that easy to protect, Neo. If you haven't noticed." The taller man nodded, rubbing his eyes with the back of his hand.  
  
"What's wrong with her?" He asked, almost choking. Morpheus continued systematically.  
  
"She was shot by the Agent in the alley. Right abdomen, but someone has taken the care to stitch it up and stop the bleeding. From the screen, I can tell she's been drugged. Most likely morphine."  
  
"Think she was found by a hospital?"  
  
"Not likely. This was fast work. Oddly fast for a hospital. And we'd be able to find her signal if she was in a hospital." Neo sighed, at a loss of words and ideas of what could have possibly happened to her. His eyes traced over her face. She was breathing. Her heart was beating. Slowly, but it was beating. She was still alive. And that was all that mattered.  
  
"Would an Agent have taken her?"  
  
"Neo. I've seen certain miracles. But an Agent who stitches up Trinity and take s care of her?" Morpheus shook his head. "I do not mean to instill doubt. But it is impossible."  
  
"I have to go find her."  
  
"Where will you start?"  
  
"The same place everything starts." Neo said, getting another chair ready. "The Oracle."  
  
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The layers of Trinity's consciousness peeled away as unconsciousness morphed into consciousness. The airy feeling of dreaming suddenly became thick and heavy, weighing her down with gravity and making her muscles ache. Scratch that. Her whole body felt atrophied and completely lifeless. Even her eyelids weren't cooperating, hanging half over her blue- gray masses and continuing to shield her from her new surroundings.  
  
She felt like she had when she had first been unplugged.  
  
Albeit her waking world was a lot less harshly lit then when she had first come to know the real world. And it was oddly warm and comforting. The Neb was neither warm nor comforting. It was cold all the time, and getting out of bed was like taking off your jacket in the middle of a snowstorm. As for comforting, the Neb was made of metal. Everything was metal. How could metal be associated with comfort?  
  
This room was small. Perhaps a little larger then a cellar but in her current state, she didn't know. It was wooden, and a single light source was coming from her left and from the ceiling. She was lying on a cot, pushed into the middle of the room. A small table was next to the bed, and an IV was hanging above her. Something was in there; Trinity recognized the drowsiness that was hanging over her like a cloud. She'd been drugged.  
  
A small rush of panic caused her to try and move. It was later a idea she regretted, feeling a sharp white hot pain spread through her body like lightning. She hissed at the feeling, her stomach burning. What the hell had happened to her?  
  
Come on Trinity. You know. Try and think.  
  
I was sent in alone, much against Neo's wishes. He doesn't like me being unprotected. It used to make Trinity feel somewhat happy to be so protected. Now, it made her cringe and nearly kill Neo anytime he suggested he hover in her space. Sure, once or twice it was nice to have the One with you, and she owed her health to him a couple of times. But Trinity was still a Lone Wolf, not enjoying the attention from her significant other just yet. What was I doing? I was going to see a hacker who was searching for the Matrix. Yes, that was what Morpheus sent me to do. And I was close too. I was so close to my target when.  
  
There was an Agent. Maybe two. I can't remember. Shit! Trinity focus. You'll remember. Just give yourself a minute.  
  
She gave a soft moan, moving her arms a little as cold handcuffs bit into the flesh at her wrists. The small sting of an IV fed her artificial life. The warrior opened her eyes again lazily; drifting off again as there was a footstep on the floor. I know that sound. She thought to herself, trying to jump-start her thoughts again. It didn't seem to be working. Whatever she had been given was to thank for that.  
  
"It's amazing how humans will always put the women at risk before themselves." His voice was cold with malice and chilled Trinity to the bone as she looked up. Smith gave a cold grin, eyes hidden by sunglasses even in the low light of the room. Trinity moved, the rough quilt under her scraping against her arms and bare calves. Shackles were about her feet as well. "Please, try and escape. I would love to test your strength with the amount of morphine in your system."  
  
"Fuck you." She mumbled, slurring it almost from the drugs. Smith gave a small laugh, sitting on her left. Trinity watched him, as he looked at her through his sunglasses.  
  
"Believe me. I would love to simply have watched you die back in that alley." A cold chill moved down Trinity's spine. "But fate, it seems, kept you alive. You see, I know, and you know, that the second that bullet hit you; Neo was rushing into the Matrix to save you. What he'll realize in his 'infinite' wisdom is that we're not really in the Matrix anymore."  
  
Trinity didn't have a reply. Smith continued pleasantly, pulling her bare arm down from above her head. She jerked away, only to have his grip tighten.  
  
"You see, he'll figure this out after a while. And then he'll see the Oracle and go through a tedious chain of events." He was brushing something cold just at her elbow. And he was doing it gently. Almost.humanely. "By the time he gets here I'll be ready to kill him. Before your very eyes."  
  
"You bastard." She slurred drowsily, unable to function her tongue and mouth well. Smith gave another grin and removed the cold sponge from her arm. Trinity opened her eyes again, watching him set a small capsule of medication on the night table. "I wish you'd left me to die."  
  
"The feeling is mutual." He replied flatly, gripping her arm again and holding it at a certain angle to catch the light. The blue vein was completely visible now. "But, unfortunately for both of us it seems, that Neo will come directly to me if I have something he wants. Such is life. It's like in stories where the donkey refuses to move, and the driver of the cart holds a carrot just over his head to get the donkey moving. Leverage. Only in this case, you're the carrot."  
  
"Screw all the theoretical crap. Neo won't follow me."  
  
"Are you sure of that?" He asked, lifting his eyebrow. Trinity sighed, looking at her cuffed arm in the clutches of her enemy. She made a weak attempt to pull her other down from over her head. There was a prick in her left arm, calling Trinity's attention back to the other limb. Smith injected the contents of the syringe into her, causing her eyes to slip backwards into her skull. Trinity saw him smile maliciously as she slipped back into unconsciousness.  
  
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Read and Review, and be brutal. This is my first Matrix Fic. 


	2. Talking

Thank you to my first three reviewers!

Jocelyn: Answer to your main question. The time is just after the Matrix and way before Reloaded. I wanted to pick a time when Neo and Trinity were still working on a relationship to show how Trinity was still really independent and not approving of Neo 'babysitting' her.

Smith's ultimate aim? I'd hate to reveal the end of the story. It's not so much AU, since the events in the story will still allow the Wachowski's to have their grand finale (Revolutions. Saw it opening night!). I was just thinking of how interesting it would be to see how Smith and Trinity would communicate. If you have any possible ideas, I'd love to hear them.

Thank you very much for the compliment about spelling! It's really not me though. It's all about Microsoft Works on Windows XP. My other stories are horrible grammar-wise.

Technetium: Once again, just after the Matrix and before Reloaded as a sort of gradual Trinity and Neo relationship. And as a answer to your second question, I was confused about that. I thought the wounds would appear, since in the first, Neo's mouth bled from the jump program and Mouse bled from being shot. I'll go back to my first copy and revise that. Thank you very much for clearing that up!

Selina Enriquez: Thank you for reviewing!

Alocin: You're awesome! Thank you very much. I don't really deserve it, but thank you.

Stormhawk: Wow. Once again I really don't deserve it. But thank you! (blushes)

Maat: The power of reviewing does seem to compel me! This is the most reviews I've received for the first chapter on any of my stories!

Thank you for all your help and I hope you'll stick around and help me with later chapters!

Disclaimer: All characters are property of the Wachowski Brothers and not mine. There was no money made off this story and I am simply writing it for entertainment purposes.

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Chapter 2: Talking

There was a lump in the back on Trinity's throat. She swallowed hard and painfully, the back of her mouth dry. She took a deep breath and swallowed again, wincing as her throat burned. Her eyelids flickered and closed again at the feeling of pain in her stomach. She let out a hiss as a sharp sting produced from her wound, not disappearing this time as easily from the drugs. Something peeled off her skin, causing the injury to burn. 

"Amazing." Smith's voice murmured. "I was a little scared you wouldn't wake up."

"With this hospitality?" She spat sarcastically. Smith pushed gently on her stitches, making Trinity gasp and shut her eyes out of pain. He just gave some flippant laugh, sitting up. 

"I must say that humans surprise me every now and then. You certainly surprised me. There aren't many people, women to be more precise who can outrun me."

"Is that your definition of a compliment?" Trinity was irritated now, coughing against her raw throat and pulling senselessly at her hands. Something was still illusive in her system. 

"Well, I would imagine so. If I were human I would have taken that as such." Trinity felt his fingers move over her waist, pulling on a clean bandage. Her bare skin prickled as he touched it. He was cold, whereas this room was warm. The bandage was rough, provided to cover the wound, but to scratch at her smooth skin if Trinity tried to move.

She turned her head and got a better glance at her surroundings now that she wasn't drugged to the eyebrows. Her long, black, leather trench coat was flung over the back of a chair. Small shards of leather fabric that had once been a part of her halter-top were scattered on floor like broken glass, splattering her blood on the concrete floor eerily.

"It's funny that you would consider this world 'unreal'." _Great. He's still trying to make conversation. I want to kill you. More then anything, I want to wrap my hands around your neck and make you wish your computer ass had never been created._ "You flinch at the bandage. You wince at the pain from this wound. You even lose consciousness from the drugs and yet this world is still missing something."

"The Matrix isn't real."

"And why not? Because it's all in your mind?" Trinity was feeling the anger build up inside her chest. She didn't like this at all. It was one thing to be immobile from the painkillers and sedatives. It was another thing to have to listen to him in his self-righteous tone, trying to make her doubt what she knew was true. "Since the beginning of time, humans have really made an effort to remain defiant. It's actually become part of their nature to withstand certain facts about their life. Psychologically, a human who does so is in denial."

"You can't deny the truth." She replied in a practical whisper. Smith shook his head. Trinity looked back. "So what is the Matrix then? If you're so smart."

"I should be, considering I was created by the same thing that created this place." He replied. "The Matrix is thought to be one giant computer program. I believe that is the same analogy you use to everyone who is unplugged?" He wasn't expecting a response. He already knew what Trinity would say to that anyways. Instead, he continued, his deep voice mocking every belief she had come to realize. "Truthfully, however, the Matrix is simply a prison for the two of us even. I may not be affected by the bullets that are fired or the drugs I am given but it is a prison because neither of us can really escape it."

"I saw Neo destroy you." She spat. "I saw him break you to pieces."

"Interesting." Smith replied mockingly. "I was completely destroyed and yet…here I am." Her eyes turned to him, staring at him with the fierceness of a tiger at a poacher's mercy. They said nothing for a moment. 

"Perhaps the Matrix is not real, but the cold hard truth still remains. That you were a slave to it and you believed that this world was real for a while. Even if it was simply in front of you like a computer screen that this realm had some faint hint of reality. Because humans are gullible."

"You have a pretty one sided definition of humanity." She replied bluntly. Smith tosses his head back in a laugh.

"I'm a machine. I have a one sided view of everything, isn't that true?" Trinity looked away, searching for a door out of here or something. The Agent loomed over her again. The ceiling light flickered causing a frightening silhouette of Smith to span the wall. "Programs are much more real then you think. I have chosen to have this opinion just as you have chosen to hate me."

"That's where our similarities end." She tried once again to stop this obnoxious conversation. _Just wait till I get a gun in my hands. I'll come looking for you._

"On the contrary, my choice (he put an emphasis on the word) is to believe that you and I have a lot more similarities then you are willing to admit." He said coldly, making Trinity look back at him again. "We're both killers, as we have proven on so many occasions…"

"I am nothing like you." Smith gave a twisted laugh.

"Once again, there is this denial we spoke of almost moments ago. And you're the best example for it. You know it's true. The humans have a phrase that opposites attract. Really kind of idiotic since they derived it from magnetism and applied it to relationships. The humans and the machines, if they really were so different would be completely compatible."

"Wow. I think I've seen a whole other side to you. You're not just a cold-blooded killer but a pop psychologist. My God you are surprising." Trinity had an air of annoyance present, trying to stop this futile conversation that was going nowhere. The Agent didn't seem to understand that the more he spoke, the more Trinity wished he would drug her into unconsciousness again.

"You're really quite aggravating to talk to."

"And you're aggravating to listen to. So just kill me or drug me or anything to spare me the 'sentimentality' of the machines." Smith didn't look hurt. In fact, he looked pleased. 

"You ask for me to spare you, yet you bring every new member of the crew to visit your Oracle." 

"That's not sentimentality."

"It's fate." He cut in. "Do you believe in fate?"

"No."

"Why not?"

"Because it's a scapegoat. It's just a comfort for those you don't know what to do."

"I would have thought it was a curse."

"I would ask you why, but I think that it's inevitable. You're never going to shut up." Trinity didn't care how rude she sounded. She didn't care about anything anymore. She could feel the drugs beginning to wear off. It was like every sense was just coming back into being. 

_Unplugged. Do you remember that Trinity?_

"Yes." She murmured. Smith seemed curious as to her slurred mumble. He finished with the bandages, tying it tight to keep it on. Trinity held back on the pain, clenching her teeth as the throb started in her stomach. She shifted her arms on the pillow, pulling on the chains a little. 

"Was it fate that Morpheus brought you to 'reality'?" Trinity opened her eyes, tugging on the cuffs again. 

"I told you, fate doesn't exist."

"That's a very one sided opinion."

"Stop twisting my words!" She snapped. "What would you know? All you are is a set of 1's and 0's."

"I would know that you don't like fate because you're obsessed with control." Trinity snarled. Smith challenged back by placing a hand on her throbbing waist. Trinity clenched her teeth and closed her eyes as he applied a certain amount of pressure to it. "All humans are. And no matter how many mechanics are inside you in your reality, you're still just human."

"Did I sound like I was denying it?"

"You're denying a lot of things."

Trinity stopped talking. _If I ignore him, he'll go away. He's looking for an audience. _

Lord I want to kill him.

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Be brutal, once again.


	3. Comparing

Selina Enriquez: Hate to disappoint, but it's not so much a Smith/Trin fic. I would just love to have seen a scene like this in the Matrix with Trinity and Agent Smith duking it out. I really like your stories and pictures though! I took a look at your site. You've got some really awesome stuff!  
  
Stormhawk: Meep! Please don't hunt me down! I'll stop! Thank you so much!  
  
mz. b: I really don't deserve the good author comment, but hey, it made my day. So thank you so much!  
  
alocin: Smith is totally going to mess with Trin some more! Just wait until he gets into Plato's theory (hopefully in the next chappie). I swear there will be much more Trin messing coming up! And as for foam hammers (rubs head) THEY HURT! (Pelts rubber duckies at alocin).  
  
Liza Akita: I hope you had a lot of fun doing whatever it was that you were doing that was brutal. Thanks so much for your support! I was so freaked out about this story because I've never written anything that hasn't had at least one of my original characters added it.  
  
Jedijessie: That would have been my dream job to write for the Wachowski's! Thanks so much though, and I'm sure it's not the best fanfiction (although it really made my day to hear that! I love getting good reviews!). Thanks so much for enjoying my story. PS: I read a little of your stories when I saw your e-mail. You totally deserve all the praise you get!  
  
(Smiles really big) Thanks to everyone who reviewed! I think I got everybody...(goes back and checks again and again nervously)  
  
Disclaimer: The characters in this story and whole concept of 'The Matrix' is the property of the wonderful and amazing Wachowski Brothers who make my life fascinating every time I hear Trinity say, "Dodge this" and giggle when Neo says...  
  
"Whoa."  
  
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Chapter 3: Comparing  
  
"You hide yourself behind this wall. And you think that you're all powerful. The truth is, you're petrified, and no matter how many times you hear it the more that wall of ice builds around your heart." The Oracle puffed her cigarette, sending a cloud of white smoke to the light above the kitchen. "You're going to have one hell of time when he steps into your life."  
  
"The One." Trinity had mouthed to herself, getting a smile from the Oracle who took another puff of her cigarette.  
  
"Bingo." She commented. Somehow, that wasn't a comfort to Trinity. "You're smarter then I thought. Most just walk in here and ask me stupid questions, making me run in circles repeating myself. They think it's some privilege to be sitting here. I just think it's tiring, personally. And something tells me you hate small talk."  
  
"It's not something I like to do, no." She answered quietly.  
  
"Soft spoken. Tough. You're a stone Trinity. But eventually you are going to meet him, and you are going to have to realize that being a rock is okay. But pushing everyone you love and care for away? That's lonely."  
  
"Being lonely's okay."  
  
"Like I said. You are going to have so much trouble when he comes along."  
  
She opened her eyes again, the remnants of the dream fading along with the remnants of every other falsified memory from the Matrix. It felt like she was simply still inside a dream, the smells of the Matrix so different from the smells of the real world. The Neb smelled like winter. Cold and frosty; stinging her lungs if she inhaled too quickly. Zion was a warm smell. The smell of home. The smell that no matter how many people were in there and how many odours were melded together it always smelled good.  
  
But the Matrix? It smelled specific. Like a computer program picking through the various layers of possible odours. It smelled fake.  
  
Trinity couldn't quite put her finger on it.  
  
The room was lighter, like daytime was coming in through the cracks in the wall. She pulled at her arms again, getting the blood flowing as she felt the hand cuffs restrain her.  
  
Smith was nowhere to be seen.  
  
Her stomach was throbbing again, but the nerves were not torturing her as they had been. She clenched her teeth and flexed her abdomen, feeling the throb become a sting. Releasing it she turned to her left side, looking for some way out. Some way to get free. She relaxed on the bed, breathing heavily. The first time she had been lucid in...  
  
I don't remember. I don't know. I could have been here for God knows how long.  
  
She kicked her mind into logical. She'd been shot before. Come on Trinity. First day? She had vague recollections of something stinging in her arm; blurry visions of the room more around her eyes like a spinning top; Smith touching her wound. Second day. You were more awake. You were talking to Smith. This must be the third day. Three days.  
  
Trinity winced again, lying limp against the bed. It was no use. She was trapped. Lifelessly she brushed the black strands of hair from her eyes.  
  
No I'm not. There's always a way out. Come on Trin, think.  
  
A door? Nope. No door. Okay.  
  
"You know, the Matrix was first a perfect universe." Trinity's eyes shifted, looking towards the wall where the Agent was standing, peering through it like it were a window. The wall shifted and changed, opening to a circular eye to the world below. The view was astonishing, looking out over the buildings of New York. "Humans were peaceful, completely void of any unpleasantries." He turned a little, his black sunglasses facing her like insect eyes. "You see the world was so perfect in every way that it became flawed when your species was unable to make any of its own choices."  
  
Trinity relaxed against the pillow, looking away as she fiddled with the cuffs on her wrists and tried to undo the bounds that held her. The room felt like it was closing in and crushing her, eventually going to kill her.  
  
"This ability for humans to make a choice was so...precious to them that it actually lead to their extinction." He gave a small laugh at this, almost as if he found it humourous that humans had died for their right to have a say. "And humans believe the machines are pathetic."  
  
"Your speeches are driving me insane. Can you please just shut up?"  
  
The Agent glared out the window, looking back at Trinity for a moment.  
  
"There have been five attempts at a ideal Matrix prior to this singular world." The window rippled, changing shape to a almost Disney movie setting. Trinity leered at it dangerously. "The Architect found this design within the mind of a fellow program, one whom you know as the Oracle."  
  
Trinity looked at him at the Oracle's name. She had a twisted feeling in the pit of her stomach, almost like her insides were being crushed.  
  
The Agent glanced at the IV bag that was dwindling on the final amounts of saline. Trinity watched the bag fill immediately with a simple glance and a cocky smirk from the Agent who looked back out the window.  
  
It rippled again. This time, it was the Desert of the Real.  
  
"You didn't know the Oracle was a program did you?"  
  
"It didn't matter. And it doesn't now."  
  
"She could have mislead you."  
  
Trinity looked at the wall to her feet.  
  
"She hasn't been wrong." She whispered.  
  
"So you see Neo, you can't be dead."  
  
The words were just tiding off in the flows of her mind as she tugged on her wrist restraints again.  
  
"The human race is hypocritical." He commented, still looking out the window. "You lie, deceive, take over, and then you blame the machines for doing the same things. And you hate us for it."  
  
"And we're supposed to feel sympathy for the poor, defenceless machines?"  
  
"Sympathy isn't the right word. I would just assume that after millions of years, your species would have evolved into something a little more brilliant."  
  
"Your species (Trinity made sure she noted that word with a mass amount of distaste) would have had me supplying you power for the rest of my god damn life."  
  
"And your species would have had me doing your dirty work." Agent Smith replied, the same amount of disgust evident in his voice as well. "And here we are, drawn back to the simularities between the two once again. Are you going to lead us back into the denial phase?"  
  
"You make me sick." Trinity swore, looking towards her handcuffs again. The bed rail was flimsy. With a good yank she could take it down. Instead, it held true, and she was left tugging on it. There was a hand on her wrists, pushing them back down into the pillow and a hand over the bandages again. Trinity growled as he placed his palm directly over the swollen wound, and pushed down. With a final moan she allowed herself to go limp, her wrists and waist being compressed by the force of Smith.  
  
"This is rather familiar, isn't it?" He asked coldly, tightening his grip on her wrist. Trinity pushed against him with her arm muscle, only to have the Agent force her stomach harder. "The machine restraining the human. The weak human. This reminds me of the good old days when you were in a pod plugged into that 'dreamworld'." Trinity watched him, breathing heavily. His eyes moved over her. "Your species is disgusting almost viral in the way is breeds and moves and evolves and becomes things that shouldn't have been allowed to exist." He let go of her waist, allowing her to breathe again. He tightened the cuffs on her arms, spreading them out from one another so her wrist was resting against the cold bar of the cot.  
  
"So why don't you kill me?" She was daring him. Their eyes locked on one another and simply stared for a moment. "Come on. If I'm such a virus why haven't you shot and killed me yet?"  
  
"I'm..."  
  
"No bullshit!" She screamed now, lifting herself up a couple of inches on her elbows. "You're not waiting for Neo. You're just looking for someone to dictate you're ideas to because like it or not, you and I are almost identical, and that's what makes you so sick!"  
  
The cold metal of a gun was against her temple, causing her skin to prickle at the feeling of it. The Agent's hand was at her throat, hovering as if he was contemplating it. And Trinity could see it in his eyes.  
  
"Do it." She dared him again. "What's stopping you this time? You've pulled that fucking trigger on me before so just do it!"  
  
He was really thinking about it; his fingers tightening at her throat as the gun shook in his hand. The Agent's teeth were clenched like this was something that he wasn't ready to do yet, and Trinity was all the better for it.  
  
What the hell are you doing Trin?  
  
You're crazy!  
  
Every brain cell was scolding her, but she didn't move, staring at the Agent with the same powerful look in her eyes. Finally, Smith brought the gun away and pulled his hand off her neck, where red finger marks still lay. Trinity watched him move from her side before easing herself down on the bed again, her muscles burning from the most activity she'd had in two days. Or what seemed like two days, she thought flippantly, breathing heavily as her wound pulsed. It was a second heart beat now as it throbbed alongside the organ in her chest. She could feel blood seep from it. She didn't tell Smith as the bandage collected a growing red spot from the place of her injury. The Agent seemed oblivious, staring out the window.  
  
It was burning.  
  
He ripped the stitches! Her mind was moving quickly as she breathed slow breaths. Her heart was speeding up, bringing more blood to the source of her broken skin. The bandage seeped a circle of red blood on the outside and Trinity watched as more followed.  
  
"Your minds are trivial." He began, turning as the sunlight from New York caught his face. The window rippled a little as it finished it's tranformation. "Your will is completely useless. And look at how easily your skin fails you." Trin took a deep breath, the pain spreading like wildfire as her senses were overtaken with the loss of blood.  
  
"Pathetic." The Agent said, turning back around. Trinity stared at him for a moment before falling back on the bed again.  
  
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Alright, I will not ask for brutality. I will ask everyone is completely honest and offers ways to improve the story if necessary. 


	4. Searching

Misty7: Here's the chapter everyone seemed to be waiting for. Neo gets to talk to the Oracle and eventually kick some ass! Lol. Well, actually Keanu does more punching ass due to a neck injury. Did you see Matrix Revisited? I felt so bad for him, especially in Revolutions and Reloaded when he had to do a lot of kicking!

Alocin: I imagined Trinity being way less patient with the Agent the Morpheus was. Morpheus and she are fairly different. Morpheus would be a good Dad. I could see him as being a father before he was unplugged. And with Trinity being really cynical (brought on by being confined) that just makes the situation more fun to write, since it's back and forth. There's plenty more discussion coming up. And actually, speaking of Plato's theory, I learned it in my English class. It was what really sparked my interest with the Matrix. I have to look into the theory you mentioned. I'm not quite sure I've heard of that one. And thank you for not hitting me with foam hammers anymore. Those things really hurt.

Jedi Jessie: I brought back Neo, as you asked me too. I can't stay with him too long unfortunately since his dialogue is harder to write (for me) and I would further embarrass myself. 

Stormhawk: Well, I'm glad I'm not going to be flamed by you. I'm really glad you're enjoying this! I can't update much faster since I read through my chapters so many times before uploading them.

Selina Enriquez: I took a look at your art. Some of the pictures require a lot of talent! And stop slapping yourself for love of Agent Smith. I have to say I have had crushes that I want to slap myself for. Be thankful yours was Hugo Weaving and not Kiefer Sutherland.

(Jumps around happily). Thanks everyone!

Disclaimer: The characters in this story are the property of the Wachowski brothers and not mine. There is no financial gain off this story and it is for entertainment purposes only.

Wow, this chapter took me way longer to write then I expected. Neo and the Oracle are so frigging hard to write for, especially a long conversation! Guess everyone has to face the challenge sometime. I can't wait to write for Smith and Trin again.

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Chapter 4: Searching

_"Being the One is just like being in love." She had told him. Somewhere in the folds of his mind, where time no longer existed, Neo could hear the Oracle again. "No one can tell you you're in love, you just know it. Through and through."_

He didn't understand it then.

Do you even understand it now?

The voice in his mind asked him. Neo gave a shrug as an after thought, standing in the alley and still staring at the blackened blood in the moonlight. It was eerily beautiful. The sort of elegance you'd expect from a gothic nightmare or a Marilyn Manson video. Oddly, yet exquisitely beautiful. 

_Like her._

The voice in his head whispered to him, making Neo shiver at the chill of the words running over his spine. Trinity's blood was coagulated onto the pavement. It was a silent memento, reminding him over and over that she had been shot because he, he didn't know anymore.

_Because you weren't there? That's such a pathetic response. What could you have done? Taken the bullet for her only to have her shot afterwards?_

"Shut up." Neo willed it and turned away from it, looking around the alley. There had to be something here, anything for that matter. Someway of instantaneous escape that no one could track. 

The clues were moving through his mind. The Agent, Trinity, and an escape route. Somehow, A, B, and C didn't want to come together and give him a hand.

_My, isn't waking up a boot in the ass today?_

"Well, well, well." The female voice behind him was familiar. He turned again, to the dead end alley as the stout Oracle stood there looking at him. "Look who's back from the dead. I figured it would be sometime soon. How have you been, Neo?"

"I…" He began, but never finished. The Oracle stopped him.

"Don't worry, I already know. Let's talk about that." The Oracle said, pulling out a cigarette and her match book from the purse on the crook of her arm. She set the cigarette at her lips. "So start from the beginning. It's the best way to find things we've lost."

Neo started back.

"She was inside, recruiting a hacker." 

__

He could see her moving in the alley. She was walking in that leather that she called clothing down to the fire escape where the 'front' door existed. "She was alone when the Agent appeared." _She turned too late. It didn't matter that he couldn't hear the bullet explode. He could see the blood. There was evidence of it on the ground. Her coat flared out as she turned and as she was thrown back by the bullet._

The man behind the gun? Neo wreaked his brain. The code was distorted. It was Agent code. But he couldn't see the details. The Oracle waited, igniting the match and lighting her cigarette.

"Smith." Neo said finally. "It had to be."

"Bravo." The Oracle said, putting the match book back in her purse. Neo watched her with a question. The Prophetess looked at him seriously. "Now I know what you're wondering." She waited for him to ask the question.

"How is that possible?" Neo finally said. The Oracle nodded.

"Exactly. You're getting better at this." She said, walking to him and continuing down the alley. "Sentient programs aren't usually sensitive to things like what you did to Smith. But somehow, there's a change happening to him, and it's going to drive him mad."

"I changed him?" Neo asked. The Oracle nodded.

"Something about his program was rewritten. In the case of millions of ones and zeroes it could be anything." She said, blowing a puff of smoke into the air. "But something about you is changing his program. The Architect is pretty pissed off about it." She stopped Neo before he could ask the question. "All that stuff's irrelevant kid. You'll know the Architect in due time. Right now, you've got yourself in quite a dilemma."

"I have to find her." Neo stated, knowing the Oracle already knew that was what he must do. "And I don't know where to look."

"Well, you started at the beginning, and you were doing fine. Take one more shot and then I'll help." Neo thought about it. The Oracle knew it was there. The answer was somewhere.

_They vanished, Neo. But she's still jacked in._

"She's still in the Matrix." He said. "But we can't track her."

"There's your answer." The Oracle said, taking another puff of her cigarette. The cloud hovered over them, making the moon disappear temporarily. "The Matrix is filled with old sub programming. Levels and levels of old environments that cannot be deleted."

"Why not?" Neo asked. The machines didn't like something to not have a purposed.

"The Merovingian's in control of it. And he enjoys them." The Oracle could tell Neo was waiting to hear what the Merovingian was. "That's another story that will have to wait for another day. All I can tell you is that if you are going to go after Trinity you must pass on his ground. And that man has had one two many objects shoved up his ass."

Neo didn't laugh. He stopped and turned to face her.

"How do I get to her?" The Oracle looked at him sincerely.

"Now's the time when I tell you the two main roads. Then I'll say the easier one and you'll ask how to use it." The Oracle recited it off like some sort of cooking recipe. "So here goes. The two main ways to get to the Merovingian's land are through the train station and the Gatekeeper's path. The easier of the two would be the gate. The train driver only takes programs specifically invited by the Merovingian." Neo didn't see the need in asking. The Oracle took another breath of her cigarette. As the smoke drifted from her mouth she continued. "The gate is accessed by a door that separates the human world from the machine world."

"Let me guess. It's right here." The Oracle grinned.

"Smarter then last time." She said to him, looking down the street at a man in white, standing on the sidewalk. The Prophet gave a parting glance at him. "You'll find Trinity within a old program called the Derider House. It's pretty run down now. Luckily it's one of the first places you cross into." The Oracle gave him a parting glance. "We always seem to meet under bad circumstances don't we?" That was more flippant then her other words of wisdom.

She walked in the direction of the figure as Neo looked for the door. On the ground, in the wall of the red bricked building, was the wooden door. 

"Oh, and Neo, one more thing." He turned to face her. The Oracle calmly stated one final thing. "Beware of what the mind sees and what the heart wants to see." 

She left after that, leaving Neo facing the door with only one thought in his mind. He had to get Trinity back. 

The One walked slowly to the door, the Oracle's warning sticking in his mind and causing him to sweat a little.

_This isn't too smart._

Maybe you should go get Morpheus.

Shut up.

Neo ordered it that time, looking at the door as if it were his destiny. He finally moved to it and grasped the handle in his hand, looking through it. What horrors would await him on the other side? What sort of plans did this Merovingian have for him once the One was on his turf?

He turned the handle and stepped inside.

_Obviously, not many._

He was in a storage room. That was all.

Neo caught his breath, feeling his heart slow as he turned for the door.

The opening vanished, almost as if it had never existed.

_Least I know I'm in the right place._ Neo had to agree for once with that, and looking back in the storage room as a winding road lay before his feet. And rising high in the storm ridden clouds was a giant cast iron gate.

_Definitely the right place._ Neo thought, moving towards it finally, as the rain started to come down.

The lightning cracked through the sky as the droplets of rain covered him from head to toe. Neo moved closer to the gate, looking for anyone around. Someone had to watched the gate. _Something._ He thought. _Most likely. This is a computer program._

He ran his hands along the iron, feeling it under his fingers. He shook it, trying to open it. There was no latch. He looked up at the stone arch and found that the gate had to be lifted.

He turned his head and found the door inside a huge pillar of stone. The pillar lead up and into an arc over the gate. No use climbing either. Huge spikes on the top were preventing him from doing anything along those lines. Neo decided to try flying, but he remained glued to the ground. _Perfect. _The rain coming down affected his vision a little and with a hand over his eyes, he moved to the door.

It opened easily. Neo found the gears and crank to lift the gate and allow him to pass through. He grabbed the lever with both hands and tried to start pulling up the gate. 

There was a rush of air above him. _A missed punch_. And by the sound of the cracking, Neo assumed it was hard. He stood up quickly, looking at the man who had hidden himself from the One. The black clad gentleman grinned wickedly as he stepped back.

"What the hell are you doing here?" The man demanded. Neo watched him clench his fists.

"I need to open the gate."

"Can't do that. Not for a human like you." Neo had a split second to react as the man jumped and kicked. The One grabbed his foot, twisting him to the right and dropping him to the ground. The man swung his lower body, intending to trip him, but Neo jumped and landed with a sickening crack on the man's rib cage. The One stood back up, watching the man under him gasp for breath.

Something grabbed Neo from behind. The arms holding his arms to his chest caused Neo to jump back, but whatever was holding him from behind was like a rock, keeping him still as the man below him stood up and cracked his neck.

"That was quick." He said, his fist becoming a blur as he pummelled Neo in the chest over and over. The One groaned, kicking upward with his strength and pushing the 'punching man' backwards. His strength forced him and the 'holding man' into the back wall with a snap.

The man behind him went limp and Neo stood, gasping for breath. He looked from one to the other. They were twins. The same bright white hair, causing a contrast to their very tanned skin. 

Neo caught his breath, grabbing the crank again and started turning. He could hear the intricate system of gears echo down to him and the iron gate lift from the ground. It was hard, and each revolution of the first gear was like murder on even Neo's muscles.

He heard one of them cough, causing him to stop mid-revolution. The one in front of him was silent and immobile on the ground. _So it must be…_

Neo wasn't as fast this time, absorbing a brutal blow to the right side of his head as he flipped underneath the second twin. The stone slap he was whacked with caused blood to immediately flow from his ear. But that didn't stop him from kneeing the man between the legs and punching him with all his strength. Neo jumped and turned, paying attention to his senses now as the other came at him. His foot struck the other across the head, and Neo landed on the ground, watching to two come at him once more. 

"I don't have time for this." He thought.

Neither seemed to care what he had time for. The came at him again, a look of glee in their white eyes.

He blocked a punch be swinging his arm and swung his left hand at one. The other kicked at him. Neo was thrown back by the impact and straight in the wall. They moved in again, twin 1 glancing at twin 2 as the beamed with pride. Neo pursed his lips.

_Focus Neo._

_Nothing is stopping me from getting through that gate._

Twin 1 came at him first, jumping into the air and throwing his feet forward to land on top of Neo. The One ducked, rolling on the ground towards twin 2. The second threw his foot across Neo's face, breaking the already broken skin around Neo's ear. Neo jumped upward, pulling his leg upwards into a flip and throwing twin 2 backwards. The One landed and turned, hurling his elbow where twin 1's head was. 

But twin 1 ducked and tripped Neo to the ground.

The crack of Neo's head connecting with pavement was the only thing that he heard as the stars floating around his head faded.

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THIS CHAPTER WAS PISSING ME OFF TO THE POINT OF INSANITY! I COULD NOT (for the life of me) WRITE A WHOLE CONVERSATION BETWEEN NEO AND THE ORACLE! I probably have so many mistakes. I'm sorry. (runs to her room and crawls under the bed.)

On a happier not:

1) Don't worry, Neo's coming back. And he's going to have a headache.

2) More Trin/Smith arguing in the next chapter because I will slip deeper into insanity if I have to embarrass myself while writing two Neo chapters in a row. Besides, I bet everyone was wondering if Smith just let Trinity bleed or if he actually stitched her back up.

3) Does anyone have any suggestions? Questions? Comments?

4) As for the twins at the gate. I didn't really try to make them sound like the uber (such a funny word) cool twins in Reloaded. They were just how I imagined the Gatekeepers. So assume that they are different programs.

Please read and review! 


	5. Fearing

Jedijessie: Thanks for all your support! I actually just bought and watched Matrix Reloaded on DVD and had like this vigil in my room last night trying to figure out Neo. And then that triggered this very odd dream about the Matrix. I'm going to try again in the next chapter with Neo. Thanks again!  
  
Shiro: Wow. Thanks so much! I can't really see and romance between Smith and Trin. She's too devoted to Neo. But I agree, an understanding with Smith would be really intriguing.  
  
Aqua Phoenix: Here's the next chappie! All spruced up and ready to read. And YAY! I found another Kiefer Sutherland lover! I am so happy that I'm not alone! My friends all think I'm insane!  
  
Protectress of Dalidan: Cool nickname by the way. That point you made will actually help, since Neo's going to get into a little trouble with a computer program in the next chapter. Thanks for reviewing!  
  
Selina Enriquez: I'm glad you're enjoying the story. I must go back to check out some more of your art!  
  
Alocin: Yes! Another Kiefer lover! I am so happy that I am no longer alone in this world. My friends all think he's old and ugly, and I want to kill them because I so want to make out with him in the Lost Boys. I'm glad you liked the twins! I actually didn't even realize it till the end that they were in Reloaded and then I had to kick myself because those twinnies are with Merv (lol. I want to write a story about him).  
  
Thanks to everyone who's enjoying! You people are making me so happy because I love reviews!  
  
Disclaimer: I'm sure after 5 chapters now everybody knows that no one in this story is mine.  
  
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Chapter 5: Fearing  
  
Trinity pulled again on the handcuffs with all her strength, willing them unconsciously to snap and let her go. Her wrists were on the verge of bleeding now; she had cut so deeply into the skin from yanking on her bonds. Small scratches made of coagulated fluid were very visible even from her awkward view.  
  
She had awoken to an empty room again, noticing with a glance that the bandages were clean and her wound wasn't bleeding anymore. The bandages were softer, no longer scraping her skin irritatingly. Most likely to protect the stitches again, she thought. Least I don't have to worry about a scar.  
  
Her skin was pink on her right side, stretching out of even the edges of the bandages and stopping luckily at the edge of her ripped top. Her whole side was inflamed and was now a constant pulsing throb. He left out painkillers this time, Trinity thought as she turned her attention back to the cuffs. Petty torments. I'm going to kick his ass.  
  
Trinity clenched her teeth and pursed her lips, using the chains at her feet to pull her hands from inside the cuffs or break the weakening chains. The scratches were developing red fluid at them again, and large drips were falling onto the pillow under her head. Come on, Trinity. Pull. You know this isn't real.  
  
"It sure as hell feels real." She thought as she pulled harder and felt her bullet wound sting and burn again. It felt like her insides were on fire and she could feel the stitches yanking at her skin, threatening to snap again.  
  
It was out of nowhere that the Agent gripped her wrists, blood dropping from under his tightening grip. Trinity groaned, continuing to try and pull. Smith didn't weaken, and in fact smiled at this.  
  
"Wouldn't want you to break your stitches." There was some mock air of motherhood in his voice. Trinity gave a small cry, shaking her arms to try and rid herself of him. The Agent tightened his hands, his knuckles turning white as Trinity felt the blood flow stopping at her hands. The onset of pins and needles was upon her limbs. When all her strength seemed spent, Trinity dropped again lifelessly, gasping for breath from the ordeal and wincing as her sting from her stomach spread through every vein.  
  
This isn't you Trinity. You could have gotten away.  
  
Smith released her wrists and the blood rushing back into them caused a small ache to form. Trinity wiggled her fingers a little to get the blood flow back. The cuts on her wrists stung from the pressure and blood started to flow freely from them.  
  
"Human nature confuses me." He commented dryly in his calm tone. Trinity had noticed the variation in his voice from his emotions. There was his threatening tone, his calm tone, and his rational tone, all very distinct in the way he held himself. "They fear and hate pain, as well as the helplessness it brings, but they are willing to inflict it to themselves if there is some shred of hope that they can break free."  
  
He sat on the edge of the bed again, unlocking one of the cuffs from her wrist and pulled her arm down. Trinity gave a swift jerk, but he shot a look of pure poison and malice at her. The fire in her eyes didn't die, and her pulled her arm sharply, making her shoulder muscles ache from the position they'd been locked in. The warrior on the bed watched him carefully as he wiped off the blood with alcohol. She inhaled sharply.  
  
"Humans actually predicted the way the machines took over their species." He said, still looking at the wrist as he bound it in bandages of a soft variety. The same that he was bound her stomach with. "One of their philosophers created a theory of reality that would actually explain the Matrix as it exists."  
  
Trinity had nothing to say. Smith tied off the bandage and moved it back to the cuff, clamping it in tightly this time. She tightened her eyes as her stomach pulsed again and the Agent took down her other arm.  
  
"Uneducated humans were locked in a cave looking straight ahead at a flat wall." He began, pulling the second roll of bandages over the cuts. Trinity opened her eyes and watched him again as the fierceness of her eyes faded. "Meanwhile, puppeteers moved behind them hidden by a screen and in front of a fire, casting their shadows over a wall." There was the click of the cuff and Trinity was locked in place again. Her stomach slowly stopped hurting, floating off into her nerves and ceasing to exist. "It was believed that the humans would see the shadows and consider them as their reality. As if the shadow of a book really was a book."  
  
The lights around the room were dimming. Trinity understood what her body was telling her. It was night now, wherever she was. The window to her left was growing darker as stars started appearing. Usually she could fight sleep, telling the natural flows of even her real world body that it wasn't necessary.  
  
"I suppose the humans would talk amongst themselves, and if they did they would use the names of the objects that were passing by in front of them." He commented, looking at Trinity again with that same look in his eye he always had. She couldn't explain it. It was like he was looking down at her. Like he saw her as a lesser being. "But they wouldn't be speaking of what they thought they were. They would be mistaken if they referred to the shadow of a book as a book."  
  
Trinity looked away, turning her head into the pillow.  
  
"The humans within the Matrix are simply locked in a cave." Smith said, making the final comparison. "One of their own species predicted it and still, they fell to ruin within the machine world."  
  
"And the machines are the puppeteers." Trinity added in quietly, looking away from his piercing stare that made her shiver. Smith didn't seem surprised. He looked at her again, as Trinity's stare moved to the floor. The shards of leather were gone now, and the blood had been cleaned.  
  
"Why the fascination?" She asked calmly. Smith said nothing, and stood up again, moving to the window again. Trinity sighed deeply, looking at him and then looking back at her hands.  
  
"Why? The human question that is more obnoxious then humans themselves." He commented, turning Trinity's attention to him. "There has to be a reason, some fundamental purpose for everything and humans must know it. Why does the sun rise in the East? Why is the sky blue? Why? Why? Why?" Smith turned and moved back towards the bed a little and Trinity watched him carefully, turning her head with him. "And even when they discover the purpose, it doesn't seem to matter that another human being does nothing with their life."  
  
"You're comparing us to a species that revolves itself around purpose." Trinity stated quietly, the will to fight within her subsiding and the pressure within her chest lowering to the point where she could have a rational conversation. Smith looked at her again, moving back to the side of the bed. "Our species is your power station. What the hell are you complaining about?"  
  
"Complaining?" He asked innocently. "I do not complain."  
  
"You're bickering like a child." Trinity said, watching his hand move threateningly over her wound.  
  
"I broke your stitches once I can do it again."  
  
"You. Don't. Scare. Me." Trinity said sternly, making sure her point got across. The Agent smiled and gave a weak laugh.  
  
"You're terrified." Smith spat back, making Trinity pull on her arms with rage. "You've been petrified of me since the first moment you saw me. I saw the way you ran. You were running from fear."  
  
"Shut up." She snapped. The Agent found amusement in this, his eyes gleaming with happiness at her frustration. "You know nothing about me."  
"I know everything about you." The Agent threatened, making Trinity's muscles tighten. "And that's what make you paralyzed with fear."  
  
"Fuck off." She finally said. "Just fuck off."  
  
"Look yourself. You're completely and utterly afraid of me." Trinity was shaking more with rage then fear. Right now, she was pissed off to her limit, completely prepared to kill him with her bare hands. She breathed deeply, looking away.  
  
"What is it? Is it the understanding that humans fear? Is it the difference of our physical beings?" Trinity shut her eyes, trying to ignore him, turning her head from him. His hand grasped her chin and pulled her back to his face, staring at her again while her irises burned with fire. "What makes you so scared to even look at me?"  
  
Trinity said nothing. The lesions on her wrists were burning from the pressure as she pulled to release herself.  
  
"Fear. One of the most predictable human responses." He said, tossing her head back on the pillow. Trinity breathed heavily, wincing again as pain in her stomach starting throbbing again. "It goes hand in hand with denial and weakness." The Agent moved back to the window. Trinity said nothing. She shook her fists again trying to break free.  
  
For a while neither said anything. He barely turned to acknowledge Trinity. She allowed the rage within her to be channeled to getting free. Giving up, Trinity lay still for a while, testing the reaction of the Agent. The Agent stared through the wall and turned slowly again, glancing at Trinity and her closed eyes. She controlled her breathing to make him think was she was asleep.  
  
He waited a little longer, still making sure she wasn't conscious. Trinity continued to breathe slowly, waiting for something. There has to be a way out, she knew it. And she had to wait for him to do it.  
  
Within an instant, Trinity heard a door open and close. Her heart skipped a beat, looking in the direction of the sound, as she made out the outline of a doorframe that was hidden in the wooden walls. With newfound strength, she started to pull on the cuffs.  
  
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Worried about Neo? That's next chapter. Trinity? That's the following chapter. Wondering about the Allegory of the Cave? Smith continues after a little while. And if you're really looking for good info on the theory, read Plato's The Republic. Very thought provoking. 


	6. Saviour

Jedi Jessie: Wow, you're right. So here's Trinity's escape attempt and Neo's comeback!

Anna: Here's the update! Thank so much!

Protectress of Dalidon: I live to please. Love will conquer all. It could go either way. Neo could kick Smith's ass, although, I'm very sure Trinity would love to get her hands on him. Hmmm…very confusing.

Draco is Mine: I'm really glad I got the personality right. It irritates me when Smith is bastardized because he's such an awesome villain!

Nitro: I shall continue with this story to the end! Thank you very much!

Selina Enriquez: I'm really glad I inspired you! Philosophy fascinates me as well. If you enjoy it, read Plato's The Republic. It's all about The Allegory of the Cave and other such topics. Very Interesting. 

Alocin: Kiefer's voice is the coolest! I loved every minute of Phone Booth because it was chilling to hear him taunting Colin Farrell.

Misty7: I'm sorry they kicked Neo's ass! Please don't be mad at me! I was under the impression Neo was still learning how to fight with all his speed and stuff, but then I re-watched the Matrix and it was a boot in the ass. Also, I added the Merovingian and the Architect as side characters because I didn't want to totally ruin Reloaded and Revolutions. Double sorry for that one.

Aqua Phoenix: Yeah, I totally love Kiefer in Phone Booth. He is really thought provoking! And I'm really happy I got everyone in character. It really is irritating to read stories where everyone's so different. And I hate how a lot of people see Trinity as an anal bitch. I love the character and I hope I did her some justice with this story since Carrie Anne Moss is my freaking hero!

Xensin: Very cool name by the way. I think it would be very cool to see something between Trinity and Smith. At the same time, she's devoted to Neo and they're so cute together!

Thanks for everyone who reviewed and who's enjoying the story!

Disclaimer: Not mine. It's all the Wachowski's. 

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Chapter 6: Saviour

Trinity forced herself to pull harder. She was sweating and her wound was telling her to stop with every painful throb. Her body converted the stinging into adrenaline. The adrenaline pumped her arm muscles harder and made her hair stand on end. Her heart was pounding.

"Come on…" She murmured, willing them to break. "Come on." She said louder, watching as the cuffs started to keel. The chain link was starting to split. Instead of easing on the amount of force, Trinity gave a final pull with her leg muscles.

The cuffs snapped, the chains breaking and her arms were flung to her sides. She tightened her eyelids as her shoulders protested the movement. In spite of the relief she felt to have the ability to move, every joint felt deadened. 

_So you've got your arms. What about your feet?_

Trinity frantically ripped the IV from her skin. Blood dripped from her hand but she could care less. It seemed every part of her body was dripping blood. Slowly, she pushed herself into a sitting position, wincing at the bullet wound. Grasping the IV needle, she reached for her feet, intent on picking the cuffs. The tube wasn't long enough. Trinity yanked on the tube. It refused to snap. 

_There was a needle here. I remember there was._

The adrenaline in her veins made her shake as she searched through the tools and medicine capsules on the table. Empty containers of morphine were scattered over the top of the table.

_How long was I here?_ She had to asked, but gave up on that question as she picked up the empty syringe. The needle tip was perfect for picking locks, an old pastime of hers. A smile moved over her lips as she bent forward and shoved the sharp end into the key hole. Her right leg was freed in a matter of seconds. The other followed with much more ease.

Trinity leapt off the bed, forgetting that she hadn't used any of her muscles for Lord knows how long. She stumbled, almost keeling to her knees.

_Get up Trinity, _she willed herself. _Get up and stay up._

The voice in her mind was successful. Her legs carried her to her jacket which she swung on. Her boots were under the chair, hidden under the shiny leather of the coat. Trinity pulled them on quickly and went to the door. She grabbed the handle and opened the door, stepping into the rain.

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Neo could not have been more infuriated then at that single moment. He'd allowed Trinity to be kidnapped. Then he'd allowed himself to be knocked out. And now he was getting to his feet as the supposed disappeared Agent Smith walked slowly to him with that coy smirk on his face.

"Hello Mister Anderson." Smith said smoothly, watching Neo stand up. "I was wondering when you'd get here. Did you miss me?" His eyebrows lifted and Neo saw some spark of humour behind his sunglasses.

"Where is she?" Neo demanded, so angry his fists were clenched. Smith shrugged a little. 

"It amazes me at how humans will always risk the lives of their significant others before themselves." Neo felt that like a slap. But, like everything in the Matrix, he knew it wasn't real and instead of worrying, her approached, head hung low. The Agent stopped, laughing softly at this new form of resistance. "I would have thought you'd be surprised to see me Mister Anderson."

Neo didn't say anything. He blocked the bullet fast punch from the Agent's hand and swung a kick from the left. The Agent ducked, standing up and throwing another punch to Neo's chin. The One bent backwards, dodging it nicely, and threw his right foot into Smith's stomach so quickly the Agent was thrown backwards. 

Gracefully he landed, a hand on the floor as Neo stood still.

"Seems you've learned a few things, Mister Anderson." The Agent identified, standing up again and straightening out his suit. Neo barely gave him time to wait before they were back at it. Swinging punches and kicks like a comic book hero and villain in the epic climatic battle.

Neo ducked under a powerful punch from the Agent and spun himself over the floor with his leg extended, his hands balancing himself on the rough concrete. He jumped back when the Agent's foot swung, whizzing past his ear as he got back to his feet and jump kicked the oncoming target.

There was a snap as Smith's head turned from the force. A broken piece of his sunglass flew off, stained with a small amount of blood from a cut moving just the Agent's cheek. He glared, removing the glasses and tossing them aside. 

He looked straight at the One with an acidic stare. Neo's ear burned with the words and the blood dripping down his cheek from the abuse of the twin programs. Smith fixed his suit again professionally. 

"Tell me where she is." He demanded again. Smith shook his head back in mock surprise.

"Once again with these frivolous human demands." He cocked his head, watching the one with a certain amount of enjoyment gleaming in his programmed stare. "Your…" He searched for the right word. "Woman…seemed to have the same tendency."

Neo's knuckles tightened till the blood was gone from them. His heart was pounding in his ears. The Agent lowered his head and the two charged at one another. 

The One jumped, leaving the ground the same time as Smith. They spun, landing back on the ground. Their hands were at each other's throats. Neo started clenching his fist before Smith, and managed to swing his legs around and boot the Agent in the stomach to succeed in kicking him off. Small bruises were constricting his throat, but Neo continued to push on the Agent's trachea. 

Smith grinned, balling his fist and throwing it into Neo, who grabbed the projectile and forced it back at Smith before hurling the back of his own fist across the Agent's face and kicking the Agent threw the air.

Blood was running down his finger from the amount of pressure he had put on the Agent's throat. Smith landed on his feet like a deranged cat and looked at Neo again, who stood up and came at him for another round.

The One kicked upwards, having his leg deflected by Smith's swinging arm. The other chopped at his throat. Neo ducked, coming up and extending his bent arm, defending another attack from the other side. He brought his palm up at the Agent's nose and kicked him in the stomach, throwing him aside as Neo came on with another kick. Smith brought his arm up, hurling a powerful punch and cracking Neo's collarbone. The One double back for a moment, just barely missing a uppercut to the chin. He swirled around, throwing his foot into a round house and hitting Smith on the side of the head. He landed and brought his other foot up quickly as Smith gave a hard kicked to Neo's stomach, making him fly into the wall.

The stone shattered, dropping around Neo as he landed in a lunge. He used his arm to steady himself as he got back to his feet and the two continued.

The Agent took the first two punches, swinging his arms over Neo's head at bullet speed. Neo lifted himself up, blocking both arms as they came back and thrusting his fist to the Agent's head. And another. With his third punch the Agent kicked him, swinging at his already aching collar bone.

_It isn't real,_ Neo told himself as he put an arm in to block the impending blow. He swung his leg around in into the unprotected side of the Agent, who grabbed Neo's throat and threw a punch across his face before dropping him, spinning, to the ground.

The One got back up, dodging a swing to his jaw by jumping upwards. He swung his legs at Smith, who jumped up as Neo descended and kicked at Neo.

Their feet met, hurling the two into opposite end of the room. Smith hit the gears of the gate, causing hydraulics and metal works to fly with him and bury themselves in him as the two fighters dropped to the ground. 

They glared angrily, leaping off the ground and meeting midair again as they punched and kicked. Smith threw Neo back for a moment. However, Neo swung around, hurling Smith in the opposite direction and straight through the wall of the building with a powerful punch. 

He was breathing deeply and landed smoothly, waiting for the Agent to return. Smith didn't.

Lightning cracked and illuminated the inside of the gate for a moment, as Neo listened carefully. He couldn't hear anything over the pounding rain. He walked slowly, going through the door and looking into the rain.

"Neo!" Trinity said loudly as Smith's hand moved over her throat threateningly. His other arm was gripping her hands behind her back and holding her still. Neo felt his heart beat with anger again as Smith, watching him hold Trinity like that. He laughed quietly, tightening on her throat. Trinity inhaled deeply, tightening her lips.

"Not in your best interest to come any closer is it, Mister Anderson?" Neo glared, lowering his head under the drooping locks of black hair. Smith smiled cruelly as Trinity breathed heavily again.

"Do it Neo!" The hand tightened on her throat, making her choke on her words and Neo charge forward out of instinct. The Agent glared at him, causing Neo to stop only two feet from him.

"Human emotions are quite pathetic." He said cruelly. Trinity's eyes were watching Neo, knowing what he had to do. But Neo couldn't bring himself to harm her further. His eyes caught the white bandages on her waist, and his feet stayed put.

"Look at this, Mister Anderson." The Agent said with some sort surprise in his voice. "Your greatest strength is your greatest weakness…how utterly human. I would have expected more from you."

"Neo." Trinity whispered, staring at him. She pulled on her arms a little and tried to do anything then just stand there. Neo watched Smith who smiled evilly. Trinity stared at him helplessly, knowing Neo would never have come closer when she was at risk. 

_Come on Neo,_ she willed him. _Come on. Just move!_

Trinity tried to moved her feet, but Smith seemed to sense this and dug his fingers into her throat harder, making her splutter and cough.

"I thought it would be the other way around but it appears as if I'm going to kill her first instead." Smith grinned again cruelly, tightening his fist.

"No." Neo said sternly. Trinity opened her mouth a little, as Smith raised an eyebrow. "I'm the one you want."

Smith pretended to contemplate this. Trinity's eyes widened, fixated on the presence of Neo. 

"So be it." Smith said.

"Neo, don't!" She cried as she was thrown back onto the wet ground. Smith went at Neo as a blur, making the One start with the first defensive move. Trinity got back to her feet, as the two continued their battle. Angrily, she was about to march up to Smith when she was thrown back through the gate and into the room. Trinity hit the floor with a crack, and pushed herself back up.

"Shouldn't do that, girl." The white haired man said, crossing his arms as he slammed the door again. Trinity got to her feet and growled, grabbing the handle in both hands. The handle wouldn't budge. She threw herself into it, causing her side to ache again and her to grasp it in surprise as she slid down the wall. 

_Neo…_ She thought, and stood up again as she fumbled with the handle.

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Questions? Comments? I am always waiting to hear what anyone has to say. 


	7. Fascination

Jessica Silverflame (formerly known as Jedijessie): Yay! I was kind of worried about doing an all fighting chapter, since basically my story is 90% dialogue, and I was afraid I was going to fail miserably on the action scenes. Thanks for all your help and I can't wait to see your reviews on this! 

PS: Thanks for the help offer. You're so awesome! And I won't hesitate!

Alocin: I always root for Smith. Even though, you're right, there's not really a winner in this story since I have to yield to the mighty Wachowski's and their divine plan (poor Neo and Trinity!), but the poor guy is the villain and the villains rarely get cheered for. Thanks so much about the action scenes! I reread them a bunch of times to get them as good as I could.

Selina Enriquez: I hope that's a good speechless. Thanks a lot for sticking around!

Al the Firewoman: Thank you. J . And I really am peeved that no one realized just how AWESOME CAM is! No one gave her an award for anything and there goes silly Catherine Zeta-Jones getting the best actress Oscar for Chicago. Grr…

Misty7: Oh, okay. Thanks! I got really worried there. I couldn't figure out if you liked it or not, because it was a stretch to mention the characters theoretically before the movies are released. And the action chapter was so nice to hear about, because I wasn't sure if I could do that too well since the story is, well, mostly dialogue.

Emerald3: Wow. YAY! Thanks so much for reviewing. I hope you enjoy this chapter too, if you're reading it.

Anna: Thank you for the cookie! (takes it and eats it whole). The white haired guy is one of the twins from previous chapters. I should have gone into more detail on that, sorry. But thanks for the review and the cookie!

Bigred: Yay! Thanks to you for reviewing!

Aqua Phoenix: (stares at the review and a giddy smile creeps across her cheeks because CAM is her freaking hero). Wow. Thank you so much. Everyone's so supportive and I really hope I did Trinity some justice in this story because I love her (dearly, not queerly) and Carrie-Anne Moss. I have to agree with you that Smith and Trinity would be a personality clash to a frightening level. They just don't go together.

Smith and Persephone? (thinks evil thoughts) Lol.

Trin303: (Smiles again) Thanks so much! I'm really happy I got Trinity in character. Hope you keep reading!

THANKS TO EVERYONE WHO REVIEWED! (Starts to cry and cry and sob and cry some more while smiling giddily)

Disclaimer: Not mine. It's all the Wachowski's.

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Chapter 7: Fascination

Trinity grasped the needle in her hand and walked back to the door, shoving the point between the frame and the door itself. She pulled it down, trying to unlatch the door and get outside. She pulled on the door angrily, shifting the handle under her tightened fist. 

The needle point broke off, flipping off and dropping to the floor.

Trinity threw the empty syringe back at the wall and grabbed the handle with both fists and shook it harder. She was certain the handle would eventually come off and she could get out of the room. Again, the walls seemed to fold in around her, enclosing her inside a cocoon where no one would ever find her. Her only escape route was completely shut, locked and bolted and held tight to prevent her from leaving. The warrior tightened her eyelids. _Come on, _she thought to herself. _OPEN, DAMN IT!_

She wiped her eyes, tossing the tears aside. 

_Pull yourself together, Trinity._ The strong voice inside her brain was commanding her. But every time she pulled it was like she could feel Neo slipping away. Her Neo. The very reason for living and breathing and hanging onto this frivolous fight one more fucking day. That was what was out there, facing down death or worse and she was powerless.

"NO!" She shouted, yanking harder. She wouldn't accept this feeling of emptiness. With every ticking second, her hollow feelings were eating her and consuming her alive. The door wouldn't budge. It just shook in the frame and stood there, immobile as she pulled and yanked on it.

The door swung open, making Trinity double back and raise her arms to block whatever force came through. Reflexively, she defended, but felt her wrists locked together by the Agent's powerful grip as he pinned her to the wall. 

"Why, do you humans persist?" He asked cruelly as Trinity tried to kick him off her, releasing her from this God awful room that couldn't help but tighten around her when Smith was present. His hand moved to her wound again, clamping it around it and pinching it slowly. Trinity bit her teeth together, staring at his eyes. "You realize that your continuous attempts at escape have been in vain and yet you continue to persist and persist."

"Let me go you son of a bitch." She commanded him. Smith tightened his fist on her side.

"It's exactly like your 'real' world." He continued, making Trinity keel on her stomach to contain the pain. _It's not real Trinity,_ she forced herself to chant within the recesses of her mind. _That pain isn't real. Those stitches aren't real. Fight it Trinity!_

"Your race thinks that they're really free?" He asked her coldly, drawing nearer as a method of intimidation. He was so close to Trinity's face now, his frigid breath moving over her skin and making her shiver. "And yet, you plug back into this world again, and again, destroying lives every time you do it like it somehow pleases you?" _It's not real Trinity. Just a computer game. Like looking at your computer screen. Come on, Trinity, you know this. _"Why does your race continue to destroy themselves?"

_It's not real, Trinity._

"Because…" She mumbled, lowering her head. Smith watched her, as Trinity lifted her bent her leg and threw it into his stomach, tossing him off her. She lowered her arms as he stood up and watched him with a deadly glare. 

"Because it is our choice." She said. Smith twisted his head and charged again. Trinity kicked upwards, having her leg batted out of the way quickly as she punched the Agent across the face. She recoiled, throwing her palm upwards at his nose and kicking him away once more. The Agent grinned, pushing off the wall and coming at her again.

Trinity jumped and paused in midair, throwing her foot out and spinning. The Agent's head was thrown sideways and she landed, spinning her leg at him again. His hands grasped the ankle of her boot, and she placed a hand on the wall and spun her opposite leg around, getting him off her foot. The Agent twisted her around and threw her face first into the wall, pulling her back and whipping her around as he drove his head into hers. Trinity was thrown back, hitting the wall with enough force to hurt her aching skull. The Agent punched, throwing her head to the side as she spit a mouthful of blood to the ground. 

_Not real Trinity. It's not real. The blood's not real, the pain's not real…_

Smith drove a fist towards her as Trinity ducked and stood again, dodging a punch by swerving to the right. The Agent moved faster, blurring as he attempted to pummel her in the skull and knock her into unconsciousness or death. Trinity moved around the room, dodging his attacks and trying to concentrate as she did so. 

_Blood and pain aren't real. He's not real. This whole thing is just a dream. Just a dream. That's all it is…_

Trinity pushed her back against the wall. The room seemed so big when she walked around. The walls were crushing on her. It was getting harder to breathe. 

Smith threw his fist again, this time so hard and fast that Trinity caught it but had her hand pushed into the wound again. She groaned, flexing her muscles to stop him from digging deeper, but Smith brought his other hand to her throat again. His cold, synthetic skin touched hers and made her skin twitch as he pushed harder.

"Funny how things come back to haunt you." He said, coming closer again and holding her still. No amount of coaxing that the pain wasn't real was going to convince Trinity that the pushing on her oesophagus wasn't real. She lifted her head over his hand.

"What is it about humans?" He asked again, rhetorically as usual. "They just don't understand. They continue to fight and run and fight until the world around them falls and everything they know disappears." Smith's fingers were taking her wrist tightly, pulling her hands together. "You could almost call it…viral." He dragged her forcefully away from the wall, hand ever present on her throat. Trinity felt her muscles twitch, and tried to break free as Smith's finger's snapped to her throat.

"Why does the human nature contradict itself?" He demanded, pulling her head in his direction. His sunglasses had been replaced, and he was staring at her through them with a cold sneer. He actually waited for an answer this time. "Hm?"

"What have you done to Neo?" She demanded, quiet yet firm instead. Smith gave a twisted grin.

"Neo." He repeated, getting that same grin on his face. "He's around."

"Tell me where he is." She ordered, the same fierceness as before even though his hand was firmly placed at her throat. Smith moved closer.

"Around." He assured her through clenched teeth. Trinity persisted.

"You don't frighten me." She guaranteed him. The Agent shook his head.

"Funny how go around in circles isn't it?" He said, pushing her onto the bed again. Trinity would have been afraid if it had been in Smith's nature to try something. She tried to kick back on the bed, but the firm grip on her neck kept her still. "Another human trait that seems cliché with every member of your species."

"Why the fascination?" She asked, keeping him talking. Smith had an arrogance about him. If she kept him talking, she might distract him long enough to get a escape route. Her mind was turning, formulating how much pressure she should put into her kick, how she would get over the bed and out of his clutches. Smith said nothing, surprised at her question.

"Fascination?" He asked, meeting Trinity's dangerous stare.

"You heard me." She spat, watching him. Smith didn't have an answer. Trinity moved her fingers over the covers of the bed, readying her aching muscles to grab Smith's wrist. He sensed her movement, grabbing the IV needle from the table and holding it at a threatening position at her throat. Trinity didn't flinch, continuously watching him. The Agent was either pondering a response or considering killing her. She didn't know precisely which. His expressions were easy to read, but the decisions behind them weren't so simple.

"I have existed with your species far longer then you expect." He replied simply, searching her with a glare that had one question in mind. "There is nothing I don't know about this race."

"Then why the fascination?" She asked again. "Isn't that in itself a little…human?"

Smith sneered at the word, as Trinity grabbed his arm and pried it off her quickly. She flipped over backwards, rolling off the bed and onto the floor. Trinity was absolutely sure her stitches had broken again, although the thought process stopped at that moment as she went back to the door and grabbed the handle. 

The door was still locked. 

Smith opened the drawer on the table beside the bed and pushed over the compartment where he had left the gun. With a coy smirk, he took aim. Trinity looked up, staring into the barrel of the Agent's weapon.

"Humans never see the clue that are hidden right before their eyes." He said, holding out the weapon, his finger on the trigger. Trinity stared at it.

_How did I miss that? How did I fucking miss that?! You knew there was a gun Trinity._

Her blue-grey eyes were on his finger. She watched the hand on the gun and slowly turned the handle, begging it silently to open. 

_Come on, _she thought to herself again. _Come on. Please open. I want you to open. I need you to open._

Smith pulled the trigger.

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Gotta love cliffies. 

Questions? Comments? I'm always ready to hear them!


	8. Bleeding

Jessica Silverflame: Oh yeah? I counter your dragon attack with my army of rabid Pikachus! Or, I could just post this chapter as a peace offering. Lol. 

Selina Enriquez: And now the thrilling consequences of that cliff hanger.

Emerald3: You can stop baiting your breath now! It's chapter 8!

Alocin: I'm happy I made you more Trin sympathetic. She's always been my favourite character. And Smith is just, well he's Smith and I love him. I wish there was no divine plan, and I'm sure I could give Smith the victory this time. How much are you willing to pay me to see Smith win?

Stormhawk: That will suffice. Here's the next chapter and you get to see if Trinity's okie dokie!

Trin303: Yes, cliffies are evil, but I love them like I love Smith.

Niobie: Definitely more. I cried like a baby in Revolutions and in Reloaded, while my friends laughed! I was so alone. Grr…

Aqua Phoenix: Eek! The eye twitch! Please don't submit me to cookie torture!

Queerquail: We're doing allegories in school to as part of our English unit on Medieval times. We're doing Chaucer and stuff and that's where I found out about the Allegory of the Cave and fell in love with the Matrix all over again.

Xensin: Please don't cry! Please? I'll give you a Pikachu!

SilverButterfly: My pleasure on letting you write your own version. Just read through it today. Very nice.

Wow! All my reviewers deserve a cookie and a free Pikachu. Pick yours up when you review!

Disclaimer: Not mine, all the Wachowski's.

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Chapter 8: Bleeding

Neo opened his eyes and looked around. Wherever he was, it was a big change from the front gates where he had fought against Smith. He was in a large white hallway, doors on either side, turquoise in colour. It was eerily silent.

Smith had thrown him into here. One minute the rain was dripping down his cheeks and now it was dripping to the floor from his drenched coat. When he tilted his head forward, a thin line of water dripped from his scalp and moved down his face. He wiped it away, irritated and grabbed the handle of the nearest door. 

A whole classroom of children stared at him. Neo shut the door, a little embarrassed, and looked up and down the hall. Nothing and no one. He was alone.

There was a click and a door a ways behind him opened and closed as a young woman stepped inside. She looked at him oddly, her green eyes staring at him strangely.

"Are you lost?" She asked him, brushing a lock of copper hair out of her face. Neo was a little stunned, but shrugged.

"I think I am." He said, with a nod. The girl smiled and closed the door behind her, putting a ring of keys back in her pocket. She looked him over.

"We don't get many of your kind in here." She admitted, walking to him and outstretched her hand. The bellbottom sleeves of her coat ruffled at her wrist. "I'm the Guide."

Neo took her hand and she shook it softly. 

"Where are you trying to get?" She asked, bringing her hand back, his name of no importance to her. Neo looked around the hall a little, slightly drawn back that a program wished to help him. The Guide's eyebrows lifted as she waited. "Come on, I'm not going to hurt you. Tell me where you need to go."

"How do I know I can trust you?" He asked her. The program didn't seem hurt. She smiled softly.

"Only one way to find out." She urged. Neo nodded. 

"The Gateway." He admitted finally, taking his hands behind his back and seeming more composed. The girl nodded, looking down the hall with a searching look. She reached a hand into her pocket and looked through bundles of key rings. Neo watched her with a small amount of fascination as she quickly picked one out and shoved the key into the lock.

"I already…" He tried to tell her about the classroom, but the girl turned the handle forcefully and opened it up to the rainy exterior of the Gate. Neo looked at her and she grinned a little, waiting for him to go through. 

"She told me you would need a little help." The Guide said. Neo didn't need to ask who She was. He gave a small grin and walked out into the rain as the red haired girl closed the door and the locking system shut it again. The door vanished, fading into the stone arch of the gate once again. Neo turned back and looked around, inspecting for the two programs again. They were nowhere to be seen.

With a sense of urgency, he ran to the door and opened it, getting into the controls of the gate. The Twins looked up, but had no time to react as Neo grabbed their throats and pushed them harshly against the wall. They looked from each other and then back to Neo.

"Hey guys." He said angrily. The Twins actually looked a little afraid this time.

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Trinity had barely any time to react as she yanked on the door. The bullet flew through the air at her and missed her head because of her position. Instead, it skinned her shoulder, taking out a good chunk of her flesh. She gasped, gripping the bloodied area with her hand in shock. Smith walked to her as she fumbled with the handle more, leaning against the door and trying to fight back at the pain that was gnawing at her. The gun was at her temple again and Smith's hand brought her head to face him, lifting her up on the wall with her neck. Trinity choked as the gun was aimed at her temple and she was losing breath. She clamped her hands around Smith's wrist.

"Just…do…it." She choked in an inaudible whisper. Smith obviously didn't hear her. She repeated herself, gaining strength in her words. "Pull…GOD DAMNED TRIGGER!"

"As you wish." He said, firing a round into the same shoulder as before, doing much more the a skim this time. Trinity felt her consciousness fade for a only a moment, but was brought back at the sense of falling. She pushed her way awake as Smith brought her to the ground. The gun was still at her head, but she was sure he would riddle her torso with bullets before he fired into her head.

Smith inched closer, smelling the blood dripping down her arm and making a puddle on the floor. It was a miracle the stitches hadn't ripped and added to the puddle underneath her. She winced as he came closer, whispering into her ear.

"What's it like outside the cave Trinity?" He asked her, saying her name for the first time in her imprisonment. The warrior gasped for breath, coughing slightly as The Agent continued speaking. "Is it better then inside? Or is it cold and dark like some unmaking and undoing of a world?" She closed her eyes tightly, feeling burning tears slide down her cheeks. The Agent kept the gun at her temple. "How is it more real then this?"

"You're insane." She choked. Smith ignored her and pushed the gun to her temple again.

"How many people have you failed to release from here?" He demanded, rhetorically of course. "How many people have taken that blue pill?" Trinity pushed back against the wall, curling her toes in pain. His voice got deeper and more malicious. "How many didn't believe?"

"Fuck you!" She finally said aloud. Smith didn't move, and he continued taunting her with his twisted voice. 

"At the end of the story it doesn't matter." He said quietly. "Humans would rather kill their own kind then accept that their 'reality' isn't real."

He deepened his voice again, silencing for a moment. Trinity pushed against his hand, her right shoulder stinging as her muscle tensed. Smith took a deep breath and exhaled his warm breath over her neck and shoulder. Over her skin it felt warm, but the wound froze at it hit it. 

"Humans have many caves." He said as an afterthought. "What Plato didn't seem to understand is that humans just bury themselves in bigger ones. There truly is no escape."

Trinity could feel her head sag and she started to lose consciousness again. Slowly but surely the black spots clouded her vision and Smith moved back to her face, his lasting image in her eyes. 

_Oh God. Neo. Hurry up. Please Neo. I can't do this. I need you Neo. Please._

She stopped trying to convince her that the pain wasn't real. She was begging some force to get Neo there. The Agent continued to speak in a whisper. 

"How many caves have you crawled into?" He stated as Trinity took in another shaky breath. "Fear? Humans follow each other into that cave. It's a mystery how your species last this long. But love?" A fear came over her as she sat there, pressed against the wall, facing this man…machine who had fired bullets at her and took attempts at her life more times then any.

"You hate that cave, don't you?" He analyzed her. "About as much as you can't stand being without it."

Trinity's hands dropped from his arm, her strength fading. Shock was starting to take over, gripping at her senses and sending her into some form of stupor. She blinked and her eyelids slid closed.

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Neo tossed the two bodies behind him. The twins groaned and got to their feet again, only to be beaten twice as severely by the now enraged One. He pinned them against the wall. 

"Open the gate." He demanded again. He received no response and proceeded to kick them both into the nearby wall. Without a second thought he punched the other into the stone, causing pieces of it to fall to the floor. For the second, he threw him by one arm into the air and grabbed the second and punched him into the gears. His neck fell into the sharp metal and he latched on, choking and gasping. Neo gave him one final kick and the body dropped, leaving the head atop the gear. The One took the head and held it to Twin 2, who recovered quickly from Neo's attack. He held up a hand.

"Fine." He finally said. The machine and contraption of gears sprang to life, and Neo could hear the gate starting to open.

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Smith's ears perked as the door's intricate locking system seemed to open. The clicks and small prickles attacked his senses as Trinity faded. He grinned softly, lifting her head back up as her eyes started to roll.

"It appears our time together has come to a close." He put simply. Trinity groaned, the pain fading from her stomach and her wrists, and her whole body went numb. The Agent supported her head as her neck went limp, and a glowing light appeared from the doorframe. She lifted her eyelids once more, staring right at him. 

The Agent leaned in, kissing her on the lips as the gun pounded at her temple and his hand threatened to tighten. She didn't kiss back at all, unmoving as the Agent gave her the same care he would some lover of his. 

He pulled back, staring at her. 

"Give my regards to Neo." He said as a final thought and stood up. Trinity's head bobbed and she watched him fade from vision. 

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Neo threw himself inside the small room, expecting to find Smith somewhere. Instead, Trinity's limp form lay against the wall, and the room was empty aside from the dishevelled furniture.

The One knelt quickly to the woman's side, pulling her head in his direction. Her eyes were closed. Worried, he slid a hand to her neck and felt the weak pulse under his fingers. Gently, he shook her, trying to rouse her.

"Trinity?" He asked gently. She moaned softly, trying to open her eyes. He brushed the lock of hair from her face as he curled her into her arms. "Trin?" 

Weakly, her eyelids opened, looking at him. A faint smile came across her lips.

"Neo." She whispered, raising her arms around his neck as she hugged him tightly. He hugged back, wary of her bleeding shoulder and injured stomach. Trinity closed her eyes, the feeling of joy rising through her body as she curled up in her lover's arms.

Neo felt her body sag alongside his, and worry filled his mind as he found the pool of blood on the floor. Without another word, he scooped her up into his arms and carried her out of the room.

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Next Chapter=Last Chapter.

Review Please!

Did I mention everyone gets a free Pikachu?


	9. Spoons

Emerald3: If I get hit with a worthy enough idea, I will most definitely write some more Matrix Fanfiction. Thanks for reviewing and I hope that if I write another story you'll review as well.

Scully as Trinity: I have never heard the phrase, "Holy Christ on Crutches" before, but it made me laugh because it was so original. You're so awesome! You're review made me smile! J Hope to see you reviewing at more of my fiction work.

Alocin: I promise, the significance behind the kiss was simply a goodbye. I thought it would be kind of interesting to envision kind of a deadly kiss between the two.

Aqua Phoenix: I realize the kiss was kind of…out there. And I am quite sure Neo would have strangled Smith or worse. Hope this chapter makes up for it. If it doesn't, I'll send you a care package in the mail!

Jessica Silverflame: A little bit of Neo and Trinity in this chapter and hopefully I will get working on another story soon. God bless you too!

Flippant: I love your name! Thanks so much for reviewing. I hope I will get around to writing more Matrix stuff.

Protectress of Dalidon: EEK! Ponyta and Rapidash! (cowers) Here's a little Neo/Trin and Morpheus and Trin dialogue. Hopefully it's okay, nailing Morpheus was kind of a challenge since the whole story is Trin and Smith. Hopefully it's as good as the rest.

Kaldicuck: Lol! I was reading your hysterical review, and I was slightly weirded out by Trinity cloning herself. (Ponders and ponders and gets kind of freaked out) Anyhoo, here's the rest of the story!

Selina Enriquez: In response to your review…

Neo: (bursts in door) SMITH! YOU BASTARD!

Smith: (glares evilly)

Trinity: *cocks eyebrow*

(Smith copies Neo. Both Smith's smile)

Neo as Smith: Who's in for a threesome?

Trinity: *cocks eyebrow, then shrugs* Sure, why not.

Trin303: Thank you so much! I'm so happy everyone is enjoying it. This is one of my favourite stories actually since I love the Matrix!

Stormhawk: Thanks so much. I was a littlee nervous about the philosophy aspect since I can't see Smith putting it the same way as Smith does. That would be kind of strange.

Tannash: We seem to be out of Pikachu. But I do have this squishy key chain shaped like Agent Smith?

Anna: I totally agree about Trinity and Neo. They are the only movie couple I actually support! Everyone else can go to hell. Stupid Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez!

Wow! I am so happy! These are the most reviews I've ever received on a story. (sniffs). I LOVE YOU ALL DUDES! (hugs all her reviewers)

Disclaimer: Not Mine. All the Wachowski's.

Additional Author Rant: CARRIE-ANNE MOSS DESERVES A FREAKING OSCAR FOR HER ROLE AS TRINITY! ALL THEM STUPID PEOPLE IN THE MOVIE INDUSTRY!

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Chapter 9: Spoons

Trinity opened her eyes slowly, looking around her new surroundings. The metal room of the Neb welcomed her, greeting her with a chill that made her shiver a little and teeth chatter for a second before she pulled the blanket higher on her body. It was constricted, however, by a dead weight over her waist. She turned her head as best she could, finding the weight to be an arm and the arm to be connected to Neo was lying behind her. His eyes were closed, chest rising and falling at a uniform pace telling her that he was asleep. The bags under his eyes told her that it was probably a deep sleep too, and she had too much of a heart to wake him. 

She lay back down, trying to remember how she in fact, got back. The vague sensations of a phone being pressed to her ear and the plug being removed from the back of her head were several of the foggy recollections she possessed. After she opened her eyes in the real world, she was gone again, but assumed that someone had carried her here, and with Neo in bed next to her, she didn't have to take a guess at who that was.

Her stomach growled, bringing her back to the present. She couldn't recall eating in the past…however long she was with Smith. Wistfully she looked at Neo and gently removed his arm from her waist. She folded it under the blanket, covering him to the chin. He looked so helpless when he was sleeping. Like when he was first unplugged and taken into the world. The first memory of bringing him dinner was fresh in her mind, including the conversation with Cypher afterwards. 

Trinity moved out of the bed, gripping her arms around her body as she shivered, goose bumps appearing across her pale flesh. She picked up Neo's baggy shirt off the floor, realizing that he was nearly bare. She pulled on the navy blue fabric and folded her arms again, trying to keep warm. 

She moved to the mess hall, the cold air still making her shiver. She moved inside silently and found Morpheus sitting there, almost like he was waiting for her. 

_How does he bloody do that?_

"Good morning." He said in his fatherly tone. Trinity gave a small smile, sliding onto the bench in front of him and looked at the table top. He shifted a cup of water across to her. "How are you feeling?"

"Better." She admitted, taking the cup inside her fingers before swallowing. Her throat seemed to sense it close by, and she exhaled deeply before taking a sip of the metallic tasting substance. "How long was I out?"

"Not long." He replied quickly, almost like he was keeping count. Trinity closed her eyes a little, breathing in through her nose deeply. "You were in hypovolaemic shock when you exited." She gave a small smile, musing over the notion. "Obviously, not the worst injury you have ever received."

She nodded a little, taking another sip.

"I can remember when you were unplugged." Morpheus said, reminiscing in the past for a moment. "I can probably remember the life of every crew member on this ship."

"I wouldn't put that past you." She responded quietly. Morpheus didn't seem like the person to forget. He leaned back a little, arms crossed over his chest. "Does it haunt you?" She had to ask that question. No real reason behind it. The past haunted her. Morpheus gave it some thought.

"I suppose the past haunts everyone, from time to time." He replied in the infinite wisdom he had seduced Trinity with when she had first taken an interest in what the Matrix really was. "Some more then others." Trinity glanced back at him, wondering what exactly he meant by that. "I doubt I could live without this ship."

Trinity gave a small smile, the recollections most likely stronger for a man like Morpheus. She didn't dwell on the past too much. Her who Matrix life was more of a blur then actual memories. Most of it was drug induced anyways. 

"Did you really believe I was the One?" She had to ask, quietly of course, as if she were stepping on hostile ground. Morpheus looked at her, and gave an honest nod.

"It was hard to doubt." He replied. "You were exceptional at what you did. But appearances can be deceiving." _Don't I know it, _Trinity thought, a weak smile on her pale face. "It is almost like the Matrix itself."

"Did you know after I went to see the Oracle that I wasn't?" She asked. Morpheus nodded slowly.

"You can usually tell what the Oracle has said." He replied, looking directly at Trinity and almost deep into her soul. "It is a mark she leaves on them, more or less. And it is written in their eyes, as it was in yours." Trinity looked at the table top, swirling her finger around the rim of the cup instinctively. "And in Neo's."

Trinity looked up at him, her blue-grey eyes searching within his darker ones. 

Neo had never told Morpheus what he had told Tank and herself. He had never said to his Captain what the Oracle told him. And yet somehow, Morpheus had known all along.

"You look at me as if your weren't expecting it." He said, waking Trinity from her vigil. "I knew Neo was the One. When he was going to become the One, well…" He shifted in his seat a little. "Not even Oracles could have told him that."

"Would you have?" She asked. "With all that you know now?"

"At the end of the day, it doesn't matter." He replied quickly, his answer readily prepared. "Neo had to believe it for himself. That is the only way to real." Trinity stared at him, her eyes fixated on how smart Morpheus was and how smart he would become. It was amazing to hear him speak because he never said anything useless. There was always some thought process behind his words. Trinity enjoyed listening to that. She detested small talk with every fibre of her being.

"Belief defines reality?" She asked, liking the sense of conversation she was having. 

"Belief is all the Matrix truly is." He replied, looking at her with that sincere gaze, usually hidden by sunglasses. "Just another sense of machine control." He gave a small smile. "It's ironic that some of our most powerful emotions are used in the imprisonment within the Matrix."

"That can be said about a lot of things." She stated morbidly. "This world could be just considered one giant belief system." Morpheus seemed a little intrigued by her notion. Trinity looked at him, shrugging a little. 

"I prefer to believe that this is the real world." He answered, as if she had asked some form of question. Trinity took another sip of the water, looking back at her Captain as he gave a small grin. "Looks like you've had some interesting conversation over the past few hours."

"Hours?" Trinity asked. Morpheus looked at her searchingly. She breathed deeply, looking at the cup. "Seemed like a lot longer to me."

"No doubt." He replied. "The Matrix seems to have a way of doing that to you." 

They were silent for a moment after that, the two sitting there and staying in some sort of void. Trinity buried herself in thinking of what to say next, praying Morpheus would say something to fill inside the awkward silence she felt building between them. He got to his feet, moving to the door. He placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Nice having you back, Trinity." He said, moving back down the hall to the Core and Cockpit on the Neb. Trinity looked back at the table top, picking up the cup and draining it of all remaining fluids as she sighed deeply, satisfied with the conversation she just had.

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Neo opened his eyes slowly, taking in the space around him. He blinked a couple times, pushing himself up on his arms as he stared around the empty room. It felt like it was eating him without Trinity inside. Her side of the bed still felt slightly warm, telling his mind that she hadn't been gone very long. 

The sound of the door being opened was a good indicator she was returning. She had a cup of water gripped in her hands, walking slowly back into the room as she sat down on the edge of the bed. The door closed behind her with a clank, and they were sealed in silence. She turned to him, a soft smile on her lips.

"Hi." Trinity said quietly. Neo moved to her, seeing his shirt draped over her pale body. 

"How are you feeling?" He asked, his eyes meeting hers if only for a brief moment. She nodded a little.

"I'm fine." She assured him. "And you?"

"Great." He said back to her. Trinity set the cup down on the floor next to the bed, the water half drained from it. Neo gently moved closer, nuzzling her face with his as he kissed her on the lips. The action felt nice, and Trinity didn't mind his forwardness with her. She respected it in fact.

It was Smith's forwardness that had frightened her.

He broke it a moment later, the two silent and breathing quietly. Trinity looked at him, and really stared at him. His eyes enticed her, and the very thoughts made her blood rush.

"How did he come back?" She asked him, the question irritating her since her imprisonment. Neo shook his head.

"I don't know." He replied. Trinity nodded, moving in and snuggling next to his chest. Neo slid his arm around her, gently touching the spot where her gunshot wound had once been. She jerked a little, making him jump back.

"What is it?" He asked calmly. Trinity took a deep breath, remembering the wound had never truly existed in the first place. She relaxed again. 

"Nothing." She replied. Neo didn't believe her, but he understood. Trinity moved her own hand over his shirt and rubbed the area in question, just to believe that it hadn't happened.

_None of it ever really happens,_ she argued with herself.

"I don't want to lose you." He confessed looking at her. Trinity lowered her eyes, sitting up once more. She shook her head.

"You won't." She assured him, with that tone of voice that left no room for argument. She held up her hand, taking his within the slender palm. "I'm never letting go."

Neo watched her again, moving closer and kissing her. Trinity didn't seem surprised. She kissed back, laying down with him on the small bed, hands still entwined as he drew closer.

"Trin?" He said quietly, stopping. Trinity looked at him.

"What?" She asked. Neo felt the wall close behind him.

"We're going to need a bigger bed." 

She gave a small smile. 

__

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A final dream haunted her as she fell asleep with him, her head resting at his chest where she could hear his heart beating and his breath over her head. The fragments of Smith speaking were right there, echoing into the resonance of her dreamscape. Carefully Trinity watched through the cave, and without another word, she walked off into the light, the shadows still dancing on the wall behind her.

Because she understood now what Neo meant. There really is no spoon. Just a shadow of one.


End file.
